Willits police arrest suspect in Alderpoint murder

Police arrested Anthony Ray Lane, a suspect in an Alderpoint homicide investigation, at a Willits motel early Friday morning, according to a Humboldt County Sheriff's Office press release.

The Willits Police Department located the stolen 2000 black Jeep Cherokee -- believed to have been driven by Lane -- in the parking lot of a motel in the Willits area at around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the release.

At around 12:30 a.m. Friday, WPD officers found Lane in one of the motel rooms with assistance from Mendocino County Sheriff's Office deputies and arrested him on suspicion of murder and possession of a stolen vehicle.

According to the release, Lane was taken to the Humboldt County line where he was taken into custody by Humboldt County Sheriff's deputies and then later booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of murder and possession of a stolen vehicle.

At 8:50 a.m. Thursday morning, a woman called the Humboldt County sheriff's office to report she discovered her stepfather dead when she visited his house after not hearing from him for four days. Deputies responded to the 3700 block of Rancho Sequoia Drive in Alderpoint, determined the death to be suspicious and issued the "be on the lookout" for Lane and the car.

The name of the victim is being withheld until additional family members can be notified.

The motive for the suspected homicide is still being investigated, and the cause of death will not be released until after an autopsy -- which is scheduled for Saturday -- is concluded in order to not jeopardize the investigation, according to the release.

The release states that this case does not appear to be connected to a marijuana cultivation investigation that took place on the 4000 and 45000 blocks of Rancho Sequoia Drive. It also states that the suspected homicide does not appear to be a home invasion, marijuana related or in association with the Garret Rodriguez missing person investigation.

The sheriff's office is asking anyone with information regarding this homicide case to call Investigator Detective Cheryl Franco at 268-3644 or the crime tip line at 268-2539.